William Shakespeare - John Mortimer (1978 - Complete)

Will Shakespeare, also known as Life of Shakespeare, was a 1978 historical drama series created and written by John Mortimer. Broadcast in six parts, the series is a dramatisation of the life of William Shakespeare, and was co-produced by Lew Grade's ATV and RAI and distributed internationally by ITC. The two production companies had collaborated successfully before on Jesus of Nazareth the previous year.


Cast

Tim Curry as William Shakespeare
Ian McShane as Christopher Marlowe
Nicholas Clay as the Earl of Southampton
Lynette Davies as the Countess of Southampton
Paul Freeman as Richard Burbage



Each episode was based around the creation of a single play, and the idea of Shakespeare's real life experiences influencing his writing was used as the central plot device. As there are few known facts about the life of Shakespeare, Mortimer embellished upon known stories or legends about the playwright's life. These included a supposed apprenticeship with Christopher Marlowe and a homoerotic relationship with the Earl of Southampton.

Mortimer also invented a character whom the Dark Lady of Shakespeare's sonnets was supposedly based upon. The wife of a judge, she falls in love with Shakespeare after seeing his performance as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, adding a secondary storyline elaborating on class divisions.


Enjoy and Seed!!